


Lost in Time

by BarnesnMrNoble



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Other, Series Work, Some Fluff, Steve needs a hug this time, roller coasters of emotion, so does bucky, super fun shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-10-06 00:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17335439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarnesnMrNoble/pseuds/BarnesnMrNoble
Summary: He spent 70 years trapped in the ice. When he woke, everyone he knew, everyone he loved was gone. What happens when a person of his past makes an appearance that shakes the foundation of his modern life.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I’m trying my hand at a series, we will see how it goes. I’m not sure how long it will be but I should know soon. I hope you all enjoy! If you enjoy it please leave a like and reblog!

The hot, scalding water of the shower did little to quell his thoughts. It did little take away the images that flashed behind his eyelids as he closed them. His head still hurt, and his heart pounded hard in his chest. He’d never felt so helpless in that moment. If you asked any of the team, who still didn’t know what happened, they could tell you what they saw happen to him. 

The color had been drained from his face, his eyes rolling back into his head. It was too much for his head to wrap around, to see that. His knees never bent, he just fell like a plank of wood. His head bounced off the conference room table, and he laid there, motionless. A small line of blood trickled from the open cut on his forehead, already bruising from the impact. 

On the other side of the room, the door to the conference room opened so fast it nearly fell off the hinges. The glass door slammed against the wall with such force that it shattered into pieces. The metal frame dented from where his hand had gripped it as he tried to stay steady on his feet. His hand covered his mouth as he desperately tried to assuage the bile that rose up his throat threatening to escape. 

Behind in the room, there was pandamonium. Clint grabbed the med kit from the corner of the room. He pulled out the gauze and placed it on the wound on Steve’s head. It took Clint, Sam and Tony all their combined efforts to pull his limp body into a chair. Wanda had run out to grab a broom to clean up the mess of broken glass that was scattered across the floor, then left without word. 

Once he’d woken up, his mind went into a flurry of panic. His eyes had shot open and he had pushed himself away from everyone. He looked like a wild animal, his eyes frantically moved from each person in the room. His breathing was erratic, his heart pounding so hard against his chest that each person in the room could hear it. Every movement forced him to flinch as if he was afraid that he was going to hit. 

Without warning, he quickly rose from his chair and strode out of the room. Everyone quickly parted from his path, afraid of the feral look that encompassed his eyes. He reached his bedroom door faster than he normally did. He couldn’t even remember the last few minutes. Everything seemed to be happening so fast, it was blurry and spinning, it felt like it was in slow motion. 

It made him dizzy. He gripped the door frame tightly, steadying his uneven steps. When he finally made it to the bathroom, he turned the shower on as hot as it could go and he collapsed to the ground. He pulled his knees to his chest and sat. Everything felt numb. He couldn’t believe it, he didn’t want it to be true but he knew it was. 

He stood in the shower until the water ran cold, tears streaming down his face in earnest. Steve pulled himself from the shower, wrapping a towel around himself as he made his way into his bedroom. He moved slowly about the room, barely comprehending the actions he did as he got himself dressed. Once dressed, he grabbed a soft blanket off his bed wrapped it around his shoulders, and collapsed onto the bed. 

He sat for a while, wrapped in his thoughts. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting there, could’ve been minutes. Could’ve been hours. A soft knock on the door pulled his attention away from the spot on the wall he’d been staring at for however long since he’d gotten out of the shower. 

Bucky slowly opened the door and peeked his head in. His eyes were red and puffy, tears lay on his cheeks untouched. There was a stiff silence between the two. It wasn’t one of anger, but one of mutual hurt and pain. This was unbearable for them. It shook the very foundations they had built their modern lives on. 

Steve slowly stood from his place on the bed, a choked sob making it past the large lump that had been forming in his throat. They met in the middle of the room and threw their arms around each other. Tears began to fall from both men again as the reality of the situation slammed into them again. 

“It was her.”


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He spent 70 years trapped in the ice. When he woke, everyone he knew, everyone he loved was gone. What happens when a person of his past makes an appearance that shakes the foundation of his modern life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter goes into what happened at the meeting. For the next couple chapters the timeline is going to bounce a little, and I’ll be bouncing from Steve to Bucky for a bit. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy! If you do, leave a like and a reblog or comment! I’d love to hear what you think and honestly I need the validation. :)

Steve slumped into the conference room chair with a huff. It had been a long day already, and it was only 11:30 in the morning.

After his run earlier this morning, Steve had spent his day in the gym. Between the intense sparring match with Bucky and training new recruits for the last few hours, his body was screaming at him. Every muscle in his body— including ones he didn’t know he even had— was aching. Some throbbed with each step, breath, and movement. 

All Steve wanted was a good nap, and maybe a sandwich from the deli on the corner. They had the world’s best sandwiches. That would be his motivation to make it through this meeting. 

It had been a last minute meeting. Tony had called and asked everybody to come in. He’d spared the major details over the phone, but it seemed important. Something about hydra— at this point Steve wasn’t surprised. It seemed the more good he did regarding taking down hydra, the more the bastards worked their way back. 

Everyone started to file into the room a few minutes later. Bucky sat to his right, sporting a few bruises of his own. Even grimacing every once in a while when he adjusted in his seat, he too was incredibly sore from this mornings workout. While Steve had been off his game this morning and let Bucky take him down more times than not, Steve had still gotten in his fair share of take downs. Leaving Bucky just as sore as Steve was.

Tony shuffled into the room just on time to start the meeting. He had a small tablet in one hand, tapping away at it as he walked to the front of the room. His back stood straight, and tension radiated off of him in waves. His brows were furrowed in concentration, his eyes, while looking at the tablet, seemed distant. If Steve only knew what was coming, he would feel the same way. Times a thousand.

Whatever the meeting was about, it elicited a strong reaction from Tony. Which could only mean it was important. The glass door on the far side of the room opened with a quiet grace, and in strutted Fury. He was clad in usual attire, black clothes from head to toe. Including his identifying eye patch and long trench coat. 

The tension in the air nearly tripled with his appearance. Everyone now sat straight in their chairs. While Tony had radiated tension in waves, Fury radiated tension in tsunamis. His face was still unreadable but his movements were stiff. It was the only reason he knew Fury felt any different than he normally did. He moved to the back on the room placing himself in the corner. Steve would be lying if he said he wasn’t relieved that Fury opted to stand in the corner of the room rather than the open seat next to Steve. 

Tony clapped his hands together, turning Steve’s attention back to him rather than the looming presence of Fury behind him. He tapped and swiped at the tablet in his hands until the information appeared on the large screen in the front of the room. 

“Two weeks ago, four SHIELD agents infiltrated a low level Hydra base. The base, just outside of Moscow, was a control center of sorts. Holding various files for most of their bases. While it didn’t hold locations of those bases, the agents were able to procure a high yield of useful data.” 

Tony paused and began tapping away at the tablet, opening files that the agents had recovered from the base. They ranged from old files from the war, dated documents that had been scanned into their database that documented the prisoners they had taken to Azzano, all the way to documents regarding Wanda and Pietro. The last file that appeared on the screen was a video. Of what Steve couldn’t tell, but he assumed this was a major reason as to why they were all here and that Tony would be telling them. 

“Our tech crew sifted through these files. They sent us these with the hopes that it would help us find the bases. From these files, we have discovered that Hydra is still participating in human experimentation. They have limited experimentation to three subjects across all bases. We recovered this video of one of the test subjects.” 

He took a deep breath and attempted to swallow the lump that formed in his throat. Tony had seen this footage before and had barely contained the rage that followed. What they had done or more who they had done it to, it made him sick. Reluctantly he hit play on the video, giving more information as it played. 

“This is project Patriot. The test subject shown here is a female, approximately 15 to 16 years old. The clip here shows her coming out of a cryogenic sleep. Here you can see her as she wakes, with small flickers of a blue light or mist moving around her. From what we have broken down, it looks as if Hydra has given her enhanced abilities. Her powers-”

“Oh my god.” 

Steve stood abruptly, his eyes fixated on the screen. His face had paled to an almost ghostly white. Tony broke his gaze away from the video that still played on the screen to see Steve fall like a board. His eyes rolled back into his head, and Tony grimaced as he watched Steve’s head practically bounce off the edge of the table. 

Across the room Bucky sprinted from his chair whipping the conference room door open so hard that it slammed against the wall shattering the glass. His metal hand gripped the door and dented it, tripping in his haste to just get out. He could feel bile rise in his throat and he desperately tried to push it back down. 

What was only five doors away, felt like miles as Bucky skidded to a halt and crashed through the door of the bathroom. His knees hit the floor with a sickening thud as he scrambled to the toilet. He gripped the edges until the knuckles on his flesh hand had turned white, and the plastic cracked under his metal appendage. He sat there as minutes ticked by agonizingly slow and emptied the contents of his stomach. 

He felt as if the world around him was crumbling. Like he didn’t know which way was up and which was down. He had thought she was gone, but he had seen her. He had seen her on that screen, forced to do god knows what at the hands of hydra. His beating heart had been torn from his chest, and he watched helplessly as they stomped on it over and over again. Tears fell from his eyes, pooling on his shirt. He hadn’t truly felt as terrible as he did now, unsure of what was to come, unsure of anything really. He could only imagine what Steve was feeling. 

He flinched away at the soft touch of someone’s hand across his back. Wanda knelt behind him and offered her comfort. When she opened her arms, he accepted and crashed himself into her body. She held onto him until his world stopped spinning, until his tears and cries softened letting him speak. 

He whispered to her, mumbling over and over. “It was her.” She pulled back to look into his eyes, wiping the tears away from beneath his eyes. He knew what she was asking for, not that he wanted accept that the situation was real. 

“It’s his little sister.”


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprisingly this chapter is actually fluffy! Hope you all enjoy! If you do leave me a comment, cause I need the validation! <3

“Oh my god.” The words fell past his parted lips in a whisper. It was all he could muster before darkness threatened the edges of his vision. The seconds ticked by agonizingly slow. He felt his knees go weak underneath him and the world fell into complete darkness. 

“Steve?” Her soft voice carried through the small apartment. She took off her shoes and carefully placed them next to the door. The apartment was quiet save for the soft wheezing coming from the bedroom. She knew it was Steve, the air had been bad lately and his asthma had been the worst she’d ever seen. He coughed harshly before replying to her callout. 

“I’m in here, peanut.” 

She rolled her eyes at the nickname. He’d taken to calling her that since their ma had passed away. She wasn’t exactly sure where it came from, but from the first time he’d used it, it had stuck. She poked her head around the door to the bedroom.

He was sitting on the bed, his sketchbook and pencils on his lap. They were worn down but well used. She had saved up all the money she could to buy them for him on his birthday last year. He’d been so happy to finally have the proper tools, he’d drawn her a portrait of the New York skyline. And then she had hung it up on the wall by the front door. She loved that picture.

“How are you feeling?” 

She asked softly. He hated that she was always taking care of him, that was supposed to be his job, but he knew her intentions were all in good nature. She walked over and sat next to him on the bed. 

“I’m okay, peanut. Promise.”

“Stevie, I heard you wheezin’.” 

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. 

“Ain’t I always wheezin’ now?” 

She gave him a tight lipped smile in return. He knew it was hard on her to always be taking care of him, it was hard on him to let her. He wrapped his frail arms around her frame and pulled her into his chest. 

While the air had been bad and made his already terrible asthma worse, she knew it was especially bad because they hadn’t been able to afford the medicine this month. Steve had told her he’d be fine, he’d made it through without medicine before, he could do it again. 

It was hard to believe he’d be fine when she’d wake to his wheezing or when he tried to hide the cough as not to wake her only making it worse. 

“How was your day, peanut?” 

She grabbed his hand and dragged out to the front room to make him some tea. While it wasn’t the medicine he needed, it did help soothe the soreness of his throat after all the coughing. 

“I had some words today with that girl, Nancy. Just about throttled her in the middle of the market.” 

She replied as she absentmindedly got together the things to make him some tea. She put the kettle on the small stove and bent to flip on the gas and ignite the flame. It was a tricky little devil. The old thing was worn out and made to work with makeshift pieces, rarely lit most of the time too. Nearly burnt off her eyebrows one day, she’d been much more careful since. 

“I’ll say it runs in the Rogers blood, don’t it?” 

A familiar voice sounded across the apartment. Both the siblings smiled at the brunettes arrival. He passed Steve who sat at the table happily sketching away. His hand clapped Steve on the shoulder in greeting as he moved by towards the kitchen where she stood. 

“Heya Buck. I’m making tea, want some?” 

She smiled at him, stepping away from the stove to give him a hug. He pulled her into his side, kissing the crown of her head as he did. 

“Nah, I’m okay for now, sweet pea.” 

While Bucky may not have been blood related, he was as much a big brother to her as Steve was. After their ma had died, Bucky had offered to take them in. He wanted to help out, it was hard enough to make a living but Steve had no one else but his little sister. Who, at the time of their mother’s passing was just 8 years old. But Steve couldn’t impose on him. He had 4 sisters of his own, Steve didn’t think it’d be fair to tack on two more to the count.

He too, had taken on calling her a nickname. A lot of times it was ‘sweet pea’ but sometimes he called her ‘petal’ or ‘doll’. They rarely called her by her name, she would have sworn she didn’t even know it anymore. But she knew if they did call her by her real name it was important or she was in trouble. It was always a gamble as to which. If she heard y/n Rogers, she would walk to them with her tail between her legs like a kicked puppy.

“Now what’s been happening with this Nancy girl? She cute?” 

Bucky asked, a lopsided grin appearing on his lips. Y/n barked out a laugh and slapped his shoulder to which he feigned being hurt. She just rolled her eyes and moved on.

“You hush! If I ever hear that you took that girl on a date, I’ll throttle you. You hear me?” 

Steve placed his sketchbook back on the table and made his way into the kitchen to help her get the tea ready. He smacked the back of Bucky’s head. He let out a yelp if indignation and made a face at him.

“Like you said, it’s in our blood. We, Roger’s, love to get in fights.” 

He grabbed the small box of tea, and put the small bags into two cups, one for him and one for y/n. She mumbled a thank you and poured the water into the cups. 

“What are you guys doin’ tonight?” 

Bucky asked grabbing the paper from the side table by the door. He had read about this big event happening, some science expo. It seemed interesting enough and would get the two siblings out of the house for once. 

With the air as bad as it was, both had been hesitant to go out, for Steve’s sake. They couldn’t afford to have him get pneumonia again or catch anything worse. From her trip to the market, y/n had seen that the air was a bit better today. Probably as good as it would get for a couple of days.

“Nothing,” 

Steve replied with an arch brow. It was a silent question to Bucky, asking for what he had planned.

“There is that science expo a couple blocks down from here. I thought I’d be interesting to go. It’s with that Stark guy.” 

She went wide eyed at the mention of the name. Nearly dropping her mug of tea, along with her jaw to the floor. 

“You mean Howard Stark?” 

Bucky nodded, a knowing smirk gracing his face.

“Yeah, petal! He is doing some presentation.”

“Wow! That man is a genius. Steve, you think we could go?”

Steve watched her light up at the mention of the name. She’d always been so fascinated by science, more specifically space. She loved to go to the pier and watch the stars in the sky. Bucky had even taken her down there once to watch a meteor shower. She talked about it for a week after.

“Yeah, that’d be fun.”

Once they had both finished their tea, y/n ran back to the bedroom to change into her favorite dress and cardigan. The boys had grabbed their coats and were standing by the door waiting for her. 

Bucky offered her his elbow and she happily took it. She turned back to see Steve trying to pack up his sketchbook and pencils. 

“Come on Steve!” She shouted, but to Steve it sounded so far away, almost distorted. She called for him again but this time it wasn’t her voice. It was unfamiliar but he knew deep down that he did know this voice. He heard it again and when he looked up, both Bucky and Y/n were gone. 

His eyes flew open and he awoke with a gasp. It felt like the air had been taken from his lungs. Clint was knelt beside him holding a gauze to his forehead. Behind him Sam and Nat stood watching on bated breath, and to his side, Tony stood gently shaking Steve’s shoulders to rouse him out of the unconsciousness. 

All of their eyes were on him, he didn’t know why. He couldn’t remember why he was here or what was going on. Their gazes were intense and worried, but they made his skin crawl. He hated it, it made him feel like a caged animal. And he couldn’t take it anymore. 

He stood quickly and tried to ignore the large black spots that danced in his vision as he did. His feet carried him quickly out of the room, barely noting the broken door. He only stopped when he got to his room, and the events prior hit him like a freight train.


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are still dealing the events pf the meeting and still a bit in Bucky's point of view. I hope you all enjoy! If you do, leave me a comment! I'd love to hear from you and tbh I need the validation.

Bucky sat there, wrapped in Wanda’s arms for so long. His tears were long since dried, his breathing not as erratic as it had been. His head rested, or was more buried, into her neck. In his mind, hiding from it all would mean it wasn’t true. That he didn’t just see his best friend’s little sister, someone he considered another of his sisters, under the grips of Hydra. 

A million questions raced around in his brain. They were so loud he couldn’t bear it, he couldn’t hear the world around him. How did this happen? If she has been with Hydra, what if he had seen her, interacted with her? Or worse, hurt her? The last thought tore him down to his bones. He would never forgive himself, moreover, Steve would never forgive him if he had hurt her. It was a destructive thought, he was aware of that, but he couldn’t help but think, what if? 

And within seconds, he was back to choked sobs muffled by Wanda’s skin. She whispered answers to his questions. He wasn’t sure how’d she known, but then again she was able to read into your mind and if they were loud enough, easily hear your thoughts as if you were talking directly to her. Her hand stroked up and down his spine, offering comfort that they both knew just wasn’t enough. 

She shifted underneath his body, pulling away. He softly whined, aching for her comfort as soon as she had left. She had a quality, that made her someone Bucky always went to after a hard day. When he just needed someone to talk to, to work out whatever was going on. She had become almost a therapist to him. She had comforted him through the some of the worst days, the most destructive thoughts. She had comforted him through it all, even when he tried to push away feeling that he had become her burden. 

She stood and offered a hand to help him stand, knowing full well that his legs would feel like jelly. Which they in fact, did. Between the emotional turbulence of everything, to the awkward position they had been sitting in for the last hour, their legs bent at odd angles and leaning up against the corner of the wall. He leaned against the counter, and turned on the faucet. He collected water into his cupped hands splashing it across his face. Beside him, Wanda grabbed a small cup and poured some mouthwash for him.

He finished, wiping his hands and face on the towel she had handed him as well. Immediately he wrapped her in his arms again. He thanked her for sitting with him, for doing everything she had in calming him down, really just taking him away from the ledge he’d been on. If it wasn’t for her, he would most likely be holed up in his room hiding from the reality he didn’t have control over. 

“I need to go talk to Steve.” 

She was hesitant to let him go. Afraid that if he felt overwhelmed or thought too much about it, he would back away and run to his room. That he would do exactly what she knew he couldn’t do. As if her thoughts had been loud enough for him to hear, a mirror of the situation earlier, he replied to her unasked worries. 

“I’ll be okay. He needs someone right now. I think it should be me.”

She nodded, still hesitant on the decision but sent him on his way anyways. She, however knew she needed to go talk to everyone else. It was truly a mess of a situation and she knew the others would be utterly confused. To see what they had seen, Steve fainting and Bucky bolting from the situation, it was bound to turn some heads. 

She moved passed the broken door, to see everyone conversing quietly. They turned their attention toward her once they noticed her presence in the room. She didn’t need to be an empath or skilled mind reader to read the looks of the team. Their strongest emotion was worry, which despite the situation, made her smile. But she was flooded with waves from a second emotion, confusion. It made sense, what else were they to think after everything that had transpired. 

She sighed deeply, preparing herself for what was to come. Vision, starting to understand the power and comfort provided by physical touch, rested a hand on her knee. He gave a gentle squeeze, urging her to explain what she had found out. 

“They are okay. Steve is in his room, and Bucky is talking to him now.”

She calmly addressed the first worry, but her stomach was in knots. She wasn’t sure how best to drop and emotional bombshell such as this. The team would be just as devastated as she was when they found out who that was. She took another deep breath and rested her own hand on top of Vision’s. 

“The girl that was on the video, um, her name is Y/n Rogers.” 

The revelation hit each person differently, but it hurt them all same. The only sound was Tony, someone who was still standing, falling into his chair and burying his head into his hands. He struggled to wrap his head around it. He stuttered out beginnings of sentences, trying to do what he could to understand, but he ultimately gave up. 

Unable to emotionally handle the weight of the situation, Tony began doing what he did best, he started fixing. The change of his emotion was visible in his eyes, he immediately went to trying to find her. He looked up to everyone else, most still in shock of the news. His eyes landed back on Wanda, and he asked her to go get Bucky. 

While it wasn’t ideal, or something he would want to talk about or remember, he knew these bases better than any of them. He had first hand knowledge of how Hydra ran it, and it was highly likely he had been to this base. If he could recognize any details or changes in their patterns or anything at all, he might be able to help find her or at the very least narrow down the possibilities.  
__________________________________

It was hours later, that Bucky was still watching and re-watching the video. He had zoomed in on inch after inch of the screen trying to discern a detail that would help them find her. He was distraught beyond belief that he couldn’t just remember. Why couldn’t he just remember?

“Again.” 

He grunted. Tony started the video over again, playing it frame by frame. He poured over each detail looking at every person that appeared. He had them run a facial recognition software, but like he expected nothing of use came up. Just before the video ended, the person filming, moved the camera just right for Bucky to see the tell tale sign of a location. 

“There. Stop it, and zoom it on the left corner.” 

Tony did as he said, enhancing the image so it wasn’t as blurry. They both let out a sigh of relief knowing they at least had a lead to go by. They could give Steve hope that it would get better. It wasn’t much, but it was something. 

They would find her, because they didn’t know what they would do if they didn’t.


	5. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy this, please leave me a comment! I'd love to hear what you think... and tbh I need the validation.

Bucky’s hand hovered above the wood of Steve’s door. It had been a emotionally challenging twenty four hours since the meeting, and nobody had seen Steve since his exit from that meeting. Bucky had been into to talk with him once, but it had been brief. He hadn’t eaten, despite numerous attempts, leaving plates of food outside his door. Nobody had seen him like this, ever. Though they did understand, anyone of them would’ve reacted the same way if it had been them in the situation. 

Bucky struggled to find the confidence to let his hand fall to the door. They knew where she was, they would go and rescue her. But what if? It was that question that bounced around in his head like a ping pong ball. What if that was an old video and she wasn’t still alive? What if she was alive but had had interactions with the Winter Soldier? What if she wasn’t the same girl she had been in the 40s? What if she wanted nothing to do with her two big brothers because they abandoned her and left her unprotected and alone, to be taken by hydra?

What if?

Steeling himself for what was to come, he took a deep breath and pounded his fist against the door. It was quiet for a moment, no sounds of footsteps. Bucky hadn’t really expected Steve to come to the door and open it willingly. While it was fairly normal -- normal being an operative word in the situation -- for there to be no sound from the room, this time hearing nothing sent the little hairs on the back of Bucky’s neck rising up. 

Before he could reach down and open the door, it swung open seemingly by itself. He looked at the room, finding it empty, or so he thought. Next to the door, however, was Steve. He was wrapped in a blanket, cuddling it to his face. His body was curled into a ball on the floor and small flask gripped tightly in his fingers. 

Bucky immediately recognized the flask. They both had one, a gift from Thor with his last visit. It was full of the only thing that could get the two of them buzzed or drunk. Normally something both men enjoyed. 

Now, it was just a nightmare. 

He pried it from Steve’s hands, much to his dismay. Relieved to see he had only had a small portion to drink, as the flask was still relatively full. He closed the lid and set it off to the side to be hidden until the whole ordeal had been dealt with. 

Once that was done, he reached down and pulled on Steve’s arm, aiming for him to at least sit up. As long as Bucky had known Steve, which the count was nearing something on 90 years, he’d never seen him this broken. Even when his ma had passed, he had held it together better than he did now. And maybe part of Bucky understood that. That then he still had y/n and Bucky. But now? That idea wasn’t set, he didn’t know if he still had y/n, the only family he had before he went into the ice. 

The whole thing made his stomach turn, just like that time Bucky had made him ride the cyclone on their trip to Coney Island trip. 

“Stevie c’mon.” 

He grabbed underneath his arms and hauled him up. He moved him over to the couch in the corner of the room, muttering about how it used to be easier to do that in the forties. Steve weakly tried to push away from him, telling him no. He basically ended up throwing Steve onto the couch where he pulled his knees to his chest and hid his face. 

“Stevie c’mon. I’ve got some news.” 

Bucky ended it hopefully, praying that maybe then Steve would listen. 

“What’s the point Buck. She’s gone, let me deal with it in peace.”

God, he just wanted to smack him right now. He couldn’t even begin to count the amount of times Steve had scolded him for trying to drink away his pain, the memories, the whatever. And now, he was doing it to himself. Wallowing in the ‘what could I have done?’

“No, Steve. She may not be. We have a lead on her location.”

Steve shot up from the couch like a bullet, which in hindsight -- or regular sight honestly -- was not the wisest of choices. He wobbled as the world began to blur and spin, but Bucky was quick to grab onto his arm and help steady him. When the world stopped spinning, he roughly pushed Bucky out of his way and ran off to his closet. Leaving Bucky no chance to question his mental stability. 

He hurriedly pulled on his suit, his lucky stealth suit, and strapped a few guns and knives to his belt. He grabbed his helmet off the shelf and ran out of the closet. Straight into Bucky. He fell flat onto his ass and tried to get up several times, but struggled each time. 

“Steve.”

Bucky called out, watching like an impatient parent. He tried a few more times as Steve got up, finally, and started to move about the room. 

“Steven Grant Rogers.” 

He yelled, pulling out the low timbre of his, as he dubbed, military voice. It proved effective as Steve immediately stopped his movements and went stiff, staring off behind Bucky. He paused, unmoving, and waited for Bucky to speak. 

“You are not going for a multitude of reasons. One, you are drunker than my aunt Ida. Two, you are emotionally compromised Steve. You know I can’t let you come with us.”

He tried to protest, telling him he wasn’t that drunk. Or that he could handle it but Bucky just retorted by pointing out his current condition and staying firm in his decision.

“If I have to lock in the cell they use for the Hulk, dammit Steve, I will. We’ll find her, because I’m not coming back until we do.”


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy! If you do, leave a like and a comment! I’d love to hear what you think and honestly I need the validation.

“It’s your fault, Steve.”

Wisps of blue flew around him, latching onto his wrists and pulling back until his back slammed against the wall. His back hit the wall with such force that he lost his breath. He gasped out, feeling like there was a heavy weight on his chest, crushing his ribs. His eyes slowly opened to take in the familiar picture of his old apartment. The old kitchen with the trick gas stove, the bedroom in the back corner, the couch that sunk down in the middle where Bucky always slept when he stayed to keep an eye on the siblings. 

The voice came from everywhere and nowhere. Surrounding Steve as it violently sneered at him. His heart beat wildly in his chest, his breathing labored. Another blue wisp flew toward him, wrapping tightly around his throat. 

“You’re fault.” 

He cried out, thrashing against the strength of its hold. He pleaded with it, screaming out that he was sorry. To no avail as the wisp of light only strengthen its hold each time. He continued the pointless fight until spots danced in his vision, eventually letting blackness take over. 

Steve screamed out, waking with a start. Terrified and struggling to take in air. His body was tangled in the sheet soaked with the cold sweat. It wrapped around his legs, limiting his movement, and another section wrapped tightly around his neck. 

It had been two days since he had slept, and he knew this was why. He couldn’t force himself to think about what she would think when they found her. If they found her. She would hate him, he had no doubt, especially if this dream was any indication. 

How could she not? Not after he abandoned her to let a german scientist experiment of him. He felt so selfish now, thinking that she would’ve lived the life he always imagined for her. He wanted her to have the life she deserved, a husband and kids. A happy life. And now? She was being held by hydra, an evil group that had no qualms hurting and torturing people. 

Steve broke out of his thoughts to ask Friday if she had any updates on the team. She paused a moment, and he was unsure if it was reluctance or the AI just checking the database. He deflated when she replied she had none. So, with his shoulders slumped, Steve stripped the bed of the sheets, setting them off to the side and made his way into the bathroom to take a long shower.   
_____________

“Bucky, behind you!” 

Natasha screamed out, luckily catching his attention before he got a knife to his side. He placed his hands in either side of the soldier’s head and gave it a quick turn, grimacing at the sickening crack as he fell limply at Bucky’s feet. He smirked back at Nat, a silent thank you for the help.   
They’d been at this for what felt like hours. As expected, the base had not been abandoned. Hordes of soldiers were there to greet them at the front and it had taken a while to get through them all. Once they had made it into the building, it had been more of the same. 

So far, they had been able to clear out the front of the building. Clint had taken a bad hit, and Tony had had to drag him away from the fight. He tried to keep fighting but the large gash in his side limited his ability. Now, he just sat in the quinjet with Bruce, being an annoying pain in the ass. As Tony put it.   
He hadn’t stopped asking question and bugging who ever he could over the comms. 

They keep moving toward the back of the base, where they believed she was being kept. The farther they moved back, the less soldiers they had to take down. It moved from being a mission of brute strength, to a covert operation. They walked on light feet, clearing room after room. 

They moved in a tight formation, Bucky taking the lead. Natasha and Tony followed close behind, Wanda and Sam just behind them. Bucky’s heart beat wildly in his chest, he was so nervous. What if she was under hydra’s control like he was, what if she didn’t remember him? Or worse wanted nothing to do with him or Steve? 

“Bucky?”

Nat was beside him, giving him a worried look. He had become wrapped in his thoughts again and unknowingly stopped in the middle of the hallway they were clearing. He shook his head and began moving forward again towards the last door they had to clear. 

There was sounds of people shuffling around, and clanging. It sounded like metal but Bucky really wasn’t sure. He paused and listened for a moment, using his enhanced hearing to discern the differences between the sounds he heard. It was when he heard the distinct sounds of a cryogenic chamber being opened, he knew. He knew it was her. 

His body stiffened, and his knuckles gripped his gun tighter and tighter until they turned white. A comforting touch appeared on his shoulder, calming the raging nerves inside of him. He was nervous to see what was behind this door, to see what fate would hand him today. So, he took a deep breath, steeling himself, and kicked open the door.


	7. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't put it into italics, but I'll use ** to indicate the beginning and end of the flashback in this chapter :) I like this chapter a lot so I hope you all do as well! If you do, leave kudos or a comment (or both!) because I need the validation ;)

He may have taken a deep breath, an attempt to calm himself, to steel him for what he knew was coming but it did little quell the raging emotions inside of him. The loud thud of the door slamming against the wall was dimmed against the blood rushing and pounding in his ears. His stomach twisted in knots, so much so that he sure he would’ve emptied the contents if he had eaten anything. 

He stepped into the room, his gun poised to put a bullet in between the eyes of whoever stood on the other end of the barrel. However it stayed there, frozen as he felt. He couldn’t move, he could barely take in the needed amount of oxygen he needed, and time moved like he was wading through a vat of molasses. His eyes scanned the room, praying that she was here. That he could bring her home to her brother, to her family. 

The room was small, much smaller than what he had been used to as the Winter Soldier. It was windowless, the only light coming from the dirty and dim yellow tinted lights that hung by worn out chains from the low ceiling. And from the open cryo chamber in the far end of the room. It had only been recently opened, the white vapor still billowing out of it. 

But what made his heart sink was its emptiness. While seeing y/n in it, strapped down and frozen like she was just some disposable weapon, would’ve hurt him over again and again, it was almost worse to not see her at all. His heart pounded like a drum, the beat erratic and strong. His blood had slowed enough for him to hear the grunts of his team, and the sounds of fists connecting with jaws and knives slicing away the enemies skin.

It was enough to pull him out of his mind, his body feeling like it came back to him. But it was short lived as he moved to join the fight and saw just what he needed to see. A horde of the scientists hydra had employed stood fidgeting and moving over something, a person. Amidst all the fighting and chaos, they weren’t ones to give up easily. Willing to die trying to finish whatever they needed to. 

Afraid that was an outcome he wouldn’t enjoy, Bucky was able to coerce himself to lining up his shot and pulling the trigger six times, small movements between each one, dropping each scientist that stood over the small form on the gurney. It was very much like Hydra to understand when it was the end and to cut their losses and tie their loose ends before they gave their lives. 

He had seen it as the soldier, their little hesitation towards killing a human being because they couldn’t afford having used against them later if the good guys got their hands on their experiments. It was truly revolting. 

Once they all dropped, he had a clear view of the gurney, and more who was on it. His knees nearly crumpled beneath him, recognition pulling so much weight off his chest and shoulders. So much so that he could finally take a breath, and he almost felt as if he was floating. His feet carried him across the room to her, unbeknownst to him. 

“It’s her.”

It came out as a whisper, disbelief strumming through his veins, but they all heard him. They quickly finished the task at hand, taking down the last few agents with quick and precise movements. Once they did, it hit them. They all paused and looked on with bated breath.

He stood almost a foot or so away, his hand twitching at his side. He wanted to touch her, but what if she wasn’t real. She was on her side, lying peacefully, her eyelashes resting comfortably on her cheeks. Her breathing was steady, and her skin seemed unharmed. No purple and black bruises littered her smooth skin. And for that he was grateful, he would’ve gone mad seeing her skin marred with marks of hydra’s doing. 

It seemed so surreal, that 70 years after he left her with Steve in their apartment, he was seeing her again. That day was one he felt he could recall even after all of the brainwashing. It had stuck somewhere in the recesses of his mind, tucked away safely until the torture stopped because he wouldn’t lose that memory. 

**  
He had come over in his new Sergeants uniform, his cap tilted slightly to the side, just like his smile. He was happy to be serving his country but it didn’t make it easier for him to leave his mom and sisters, nor was it easy to leave his second family. 

He couldn’t help but worry about Steve and Y/n. They were both more than capable of living without him, but it scared him because they shouldn’t need to. Their lives hadn’t been easy, and it was all Bucky could do to stop himself from saying screw it and staying back to make sure they made it. 

He was shipping out on a plane that night, catching the last deployment flight he could, just to have a little bit more time. His ma and Becca were going with him later that day to drop him off, so he took this time to say goodbye to Steve and Y/n. 

He knocked on the door, keeping his crooked smile about him. He knew if he dropped the facade he wouldn’t be able to force himself to leave. Steve opened the door, a matching smile on his lips. He could see in his eyes that this was hard, but what broke his heart was when y/n came around the corner. Her eyes were red and puffy, the end of the sleeve on her thin and worn jumper hiding her hands as she wiped away a new set of tears. 

Bucky slid in through the opened door and opened his arms for her. Her sobs grew loud as she walked over to him and collapsed in his arms. She held onto him so tightly, he was sure she would crack a few ribs if she wasn’t careful. He held her until her sobs slowed and she reluctantly pulled away from him. 

“You be safe and come back to us. You hear?” 

He gave her a watery smile, his own tears hard to keep at bay. So much for the crooked smile facade. 

“I’ll do my best sweetpea.”

He knew he couldn’t promise her anything. He had no idea what he was getting into going into this war. All he knew was that not everybody came back. He would do his best to keep that promise, but he wasn’t going to give her a reason to come find him and kill him if he got killed. 

“Don’t do anything stupid until I get back okay?” 

He turned himself to Steve, knowing a joke would lighten the mood. It worked well as Steve gave a soft chuckled and rolled his eyes. A sarcastic retort falling easily from his mouth. 

“How can I when you are taking all the stupid with you?” 

They both moved forward pulling each other into a hug. Exchanging their usual nicknames for each other.

“Punk.”

“Jerk.”

He pulled away, both of them rolling their eyes at each other. Beside him, y/n’s small hand grabbed onto his again and pulled back to her. She buried her face into his chest, her sobs starting anew. He ran his hand over her hair, the other pulling her impossibly closer to him. He could feel his resolve slipping, the words itching to come from his mouth as he pulled away and gave a quick kiss to her hairline. 

“I’ll come back, promise.”  
**

He pulled himself out of the memory, tears welling in his eyes but a crooked smile gracing his lips. One not to far off from the one he had that day. Finally gaining the courage, he reached down to push a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She looked peaceful, like she had not a care in the world. He wished he could keep her that way. 

Tony came up behind him, carefully placing a hand on his shoulder to hopefully not startle him. Bucky turned to see he held a soft blanket in his hands, one he gladly took. He wrapped y/n in it as best he could and carefully scooped her into his arms. It was time for her to come home, to her family.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have much to say about this chapter... But if you enjoyed it let me know by leaving a kudos or a comment. I'd love to hear from you and tbh I need the validation.

The flight home had been quiet, and tense. Bucky had barely uttered a word, and angrily refused any offer to let go of y/n. He’d held her in his arms, wrapped tightly in the blanket, rocking her back and forth. He wanted to preserve this, how peaceful she seemed. He had no idea about what the future held, so he would treasure what he could now. He couldn’t help but worry about Steve, and how he would cope with this. Sure, he would be ecstatic they found her and he had his little sister back again, but the road back from this may not be easy, they really had no idea what would happen in the coming days. 

Still, when they landed he kept her in his arms. He walked past everyone, with an angry scowl. He felt bad, he really did. It wasn’t their fault she had been taken, and they had done everything in their power to help get her back safely. But he couldn’t help be overprotective, and he knew Steve would be unapologetically protective as well. As she was their last living link to their old life, before everything that happened. 

He tried to soften the look, but he knew it was pointless, at least until he talked to Steve. He entered the recovery wing of their medical bay and walked into the room they had set up for her. Unaware of how she would take not being held captive anymore, they had set up a room for her, similar to the one they had had for Steve after coming out of the ice. 

It wasn’t a large room, the decor designed to mimic the look of a 1940s recovery room. A small metal framed bed sat in the middle of the back wall, simple pastel colored sheets and blankets tightly tucked into the bed. There was a small side table next to the bed, white in color with a small lamp on it. Next to the door there was a similarly colored dresser with a small radio sitting atop. 

His breath caught in his throat when he walked in. He felt like he had walked back in time, straight into his old life. Everything felt so familiar, so normal but also so odd from what he was used to in this life. He carefully shifted her in his arms, allowing him to pull back the blankets and set y/n on the bed. He pulled the blankets over her wrapping the extra blanket from earlier around her as well. 

It would take awhile for her to acclimate back to normality, he knew from personal experience what it was like to come out of cryo. But as much as he knew, this situation was a bit different. He knew hydra had been in a rush to wake her, so he assumed they didn’t slowly bring her back and that would change how she woke up. All he could do was make sure she stayed warm and let it naturally run its course. Not that relinquishing control was at all easy for him to do. 

He pushed another stray piece of hair out of her face, before heading out. He gave two shield agents very strict orders that no one was allowed inside that room unless him or Steve saw the person face to face and gave the all clear. He would not be taking chances regarding her safety. 

On his way out, Bucky clapped Clint on the shoulder making sure he okay after the hit he took and thanking him for his help. He was eternally grateful for their help and he knew Steve was as well, though Bucky may not have shown it very well with his angry scowl. Clint brushed off his concern, knowing he had had a lot worse than a good gash to his side.  
He took his leave from the medical bay, reluctantly leaving y/n behind and headed off for Steve’s room. He was quick to get there, he did not have a death wish. He knew if he didn’t immediately go find Steve, well, he might kill Bucky. After all the last two and a half days had been emotional hell on them both but more so Steve than Bucky. 

He knocked on the wooden door, waiting for an answer that didn’t come. Pushing down his instant anxiety, thinking the worst of Steve’s reaction and coping he pushed the door open slowly. The room was clean, even in the state of distress he was in, Steve never had a messy room. The bed was made or untouched from when they left, Bucky wasn’t sure. Concern bubbled in his chest when he spotted Steve curled into himself, next to the floor to ceiling window. His chest was heaving, his breathing frantic. His body twitched and tensed, and he mumbled apologies, pleading for forgiveness. From what, Bucky didn’t know yet.

He hurried over on quiet steps, deciding how best to pull Steve from his apparent nightmare. Bucky gripped onto his shoulders, gently shaking him and calling his name. He flinched away from his touch at first, unaware of Bucky’s presence and scared of whatever was happening in his dream. 

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” 

Steve sobbed into his knees. It broke Bucky’s heart because while he couldn’t confirm until Steve was awake, he was fairly certain he knew what he was dreaming about. And he couldn’t lie to himself, saying that it hadn’t crossed his mind as well. 

What if she hated them? Blamed them for what happened to her?

He tried to wake him again, shaking his shoulders a bit harder, his voice firmer. It seemed to work as Steve started to loosen, his body relaxing and letting him open his eyes. His eyes doubled in size when he saw Bucky, hope flashing across his eyes. He knew that Bucky being here meant they had found her, that his little sister was home. He launched himself at Bucky as they both stood, his tears now of relief and hope rather than fear. 

“Is she…?”

He trailed off expecting Bucky to finish for him. 

“Yeah, Stevie. We got her.”

Steve let his knees give out, falling into Bucky, who luckily caught him. He helped him to stand on his own two feet and told him they could go see her, if he was ready. He took a moment, hesitating over the thought of seeing her again. Part of him needed to see her and see with his own eyes that she was okay, but part of him knew that this would mean they would have to deal with what had happened. 

Before he could really talk himself out of it, Bucky pushed Steve towards the door and walked with him to the recovery room they had placed her in. Once they got there, Bucky pulled off, giving Steve some room to go in and see her. He opened the door to see her lying there on her side. He could see the slight rise and fall of her chest, her arms resting lightly over her abdomen. He turned back to Bucky, where he stood watching from Clint’s side, who was currently letting the cradle do its work on his gash. 

He looked dumbfounded, almost confused. He could see her in plain view, she was there in front of him and not on a screen, but he still couldn’t believe she was real. He took slow steps into the room, afraid that he would get too close and she would disappear from before him. There was a small metal chair next to her bed, put there for him. He carefully sat down, and just stared at her for a long while. 

His hand, like Bucky’s, twitched at his side, itching to grab her hand, to touch her and confirm that she really was there and not just another nightmare. Not another trick his mind was playing on him. He sat for another long moment willing himself to gain the courage to just reach out. 

And then he did. 

He grabbed her hand, carefully pulling her hand to his chest, and holding it to his heart. Her hand was cold, so cold Steve had wondered how her hands weren’t blue. He let his free hand fall gently to her face, his thumb caressing her cheek. She was so cold. Bucky stood at the door, watching the interaction. He saw Steve’s eyes switch to his protective brother mode. He was feeling how cold her skin was and Bucky knew what was about to happen. 

He walked in, opening one of the drawers to pull out another blanket. He opened it up and placed it over her, pulling it to the same level as the others. Steve looked over to him, giving him a soft smile.

“Thanks.”

He gave him a slight pat on his back and walked out again to give him some privacy. The door closed with a soft click behind him. 

“I love you so much, peanut.”


	9. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of a filler chapter, its not really angsty but its not super duper fluffy either. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy! If you do leave me a comment telling me what you thought! I'd love to hear from you and honestly I need the validation. <3

“I’ve missed you so much, peanut. So much.”

It had been a couple hours since they had brought her back, but Steve still hadn’t left her side. She seemed to be warming up, under the mass of blankets. Her skin and her hand, which Steve hadn’t let go of since he came into the room, were starting to feel warmer. She had shifted in the bed once or twice, startling Steve each time she did. It was so quiet in the room, save for the quiet, melodic ticking of the clock on the wall by the door.

Bucky had been in to check up on the two a couple times, keeping his distance as not to interrupt the moment. Though he had brought Steve a much more comfortable chair to sit in, rather than the frail metal one he had been on for a couple hours. He sat back and listened as Steve talked to her, telling her stories of what life had been like since he got out of the ice. 

“-- And I don’t know, for some reason the words ‘language!’ just spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them. I sounded just like you when you used to reprimand Bucky and I. They have never let me live it down.”

He paused his story and looked back to where Bucky stood shifting his weight from foot to foot, his body leaning against the wall. He looked nervous, like he wanted to be here but felt like he was intruding on Steve’s moments with his sister. 

“You know you can come sit over here, right?”

Bucky’s head shot up, his eyes wide. For two best friends that had known each for going on 100 years, they sure were dysfunctional. Bucky gave him a lofty smile, and nodded. 

“I just didn’t want to intrude. Besides I better get going. I’ve got a report to write.” 

Steve gave him a nod, understanding his hesitation. He turned back to y/n, watching the still steady rise and fall of her chest. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms, like he had so many times in the past. Telling her it would all be okay, whatever was going on would pass. He remembered the last time he did it, just after their ma had died. 

She had been so distraught, confused. As many 8 year olds would be, she wanted to have her mom back. She wanted to be in her arms one more time. Her fat tears rolled down her cheeks, wetting a spot on Steve’s shirt. His own tears making another wet spot from where they dropped off his chin. He held her tightly against him, and mumbled over and over that they would be okay. 

That was the last time he had ever held her in his arms like that, not that he didn’t try after. It wasn’t all that easy when she was bigger than him, his body too frail to hold her like that. He hated that, that he could never truly fulfill his role as the big brother when he was as sickly as he was. But now he could, now he could hold her in his arms and that is all he wanted to do. 

He scooted himself onto the bed next to her, a hard feat when he was as big as he was now and the bed being small, really only made to fit one person. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, shifted her and himself until her head was resting on top of his shoulder, his chin resting lightly on top of her head. Eventually he fell asleep, it coming easier than it had been in the past couple of days. 

Finally done with the report, Bucky made his way down to the recovery room to check up on Steve. The guards at the door stepped aside letting him walk in without problem. He let out a sigh as he saw Steve laying on the small bed, half his body hanging off because the bed was just too damn small. Even from where he stood, Bucky could see the hint of a smile that had settled onto his lips. He was sleeping peacefully, for what Bucky assumed was the first time in the last couple days. 

He walked over, sitting in the chair on the opposite side of Steve. He reached his hand out, grabbing onto one of y/n’s hands. He sat there in thought for a while, thinking about the old days, the good days. He smiled at the memories that flashed across his mind, ones that had come back after he escaped hydra and others that had resurfaced after he had gotten y/n out of the hell hole that was Hydra. 

When Steve started to wake a few minutes later, Bucky stood from the chair offering his hand to help Steve get out of the bed without falling on his ass. He looked well rested, more than he had for a while. However, as well rested as he looked, he still looked a bit sickly. His movements were heavy, his cheeks a bit thinner. With a metabolism as fast as his, it was a big deal for him to not be eating, even for just a couple days. 

Without word to Steve, Bucky pulled him out of the room to go get some food and take a shower, because honestly, he kind of stunk. Steve forced himself out of Bucky’s unrelenting grip, pulling himself away. He knew that he needed food, for god's sakes, he was starving, and hadn’t eaten in nearly three days. But he couldn’t leave her, not again. He was terrified of the idea of losing her again, that if he left her alone they would take her back again, stopping at nothing until they had her back under their filthy grip. 

“Bucky, no. I can’t, I can’t leave her.”

He knew how hard it was, how terrified he was. He couldn’t lie and say he wasn’t feeling that himself. But Steve wouldn’t do her any good if he was sick because he refused to eat. Bucky wouldn’t have it. He scolded Steve saying he needed to eat, he was sending him up there for half an hour and then he could come back. Bucky promised he wouldn’t leave her side, letting Steve relax just enough to agree. 

True to his word, Steve came back in exactly thirty minutes. He had eaten, Wanda and Vision cooking up a homemade meal for him, and then he had quickly run himself through the shower. He was not about to waste time. 

When he came back, Bucky stood at the door to the recovery room. He was talking to Tony, about what he couldn’t decipher. He moved to brush past the two but Tony stopped him, asking him how he was doing, telling him he looked better than he had earlier. Now trapped in a conversation he really didn’t want to be apart of, Steve missed the quiet sounds of shuffling in the room behind him.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next chapter! This one is almost complete fluff with a pinch of underlying angst. Hope you all enjoy! Feedback is greatly appreciated because let's be real, I'm human and need the validation.

“Stevie?”

Her eyes fluttered open, struggling to adjust to bright lights of the room. Her voice was soft and quiet, slightly rough but they had expected as much. She tried to push herself up to sit upright, but her arms gave out from beneath her. Her gaze flicked across the room, sending Bucky and Tony out of the room to give the two a minute. 

The door closed with a soft click, but in the silent room it sounded so loud that it made Steve jump. He stepped hesitantly, slowly over to her bed. He had known she was going to wake up, but he hadn’t realized what he would do when she did. He didn’t know what to say, he was afraid to touch her again. The ‘what if’s’ started playing on a loop in his mind. 

“Is that you, Stevie? Are you real?”

Her words crashed into him, feeling like a knife to his heart. He slowly sat down in the chair next to her bed. He still had not said a word, though not for lack of trying. It was like his vocal chords had seized, refused to work no matter how many times he tried to force them. Tears brimmed his eyes, her own doing the same. 

He reached his hand out, retracting it a few times before finally gaining the courage to grab her hand. Once he did, the dam broke. His heart finally felt like it started beating again, only to skip when he heard her sobs permeate the air. Her hand gripped tightly onto his, it shook furiously in his own. 

His chin quivered as he tried to stave of his own tears, trying to be strong, to be her rock. That all went down the drain when she reached forward trying to pull him closer. He fixed himself on the bed once again, pulling her into his arms. She fisted her hand into his t-shirt, like she herself was afraid he would disappear if she let him go. 

They stayed that way, Steve awkwardly positioned on the bed, half on, half off and y/n stayed curled into his side for a little over an hour. It felt so familiar, so similar to what he had done when she was so much younger. He had missed her, god he had missed her so much. He had forgotten how much he felt at ease with her around. Her light shone blindingly bright even in the dimmest of situations. Even now as she cried into his side. 

Neither of them had uttered a word, but they hadn’t needed to. They had just needed to know the other was okay, that they weren’t just a figment of their imagination. 

The door to the room opened catching both of their attention. Bucky popped his head in the room, a hopeful smile on his lips. He had been sitting just outside the room since he’d left with Tony earlier. He wanted to give the two time and not interrupt their moment but it was hard for him to restrain himself when all he wanted to do was run in a hug her, tell her he missed her and he was so happy to see her again. 

Her head lifted from Steve’s chest, her eyes question, almost disbelieving as she took him in. He looked different, much different than she remembered from the last time she saw him. His hair was longer, shoulder length, much longer than the short hair he had kept for the military. His shoulders were bigger, everything about him was bigger. His eyes held so much emotion, they looked haunted. 

“Bucky?”

Steve gave him a nod, telling him it was okay to come over. He had the same old crooked smile about him, something she could recognize from a mile away. He sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms. When she pulled away, she sat back into the bed, awkwardly squashed between the two. Not that she minded in the slightest because to her it was normal, familiar. She couldn’t count how many times they had sat down on the dingy old couch, both of them on either side of her squishing her. 

They always thought it was hilarious, to see how far they would get before she’d yell at them, calling out for mercy. Though it usually ended with a smack to the back of the head for both of them. She smiled slightly at the memory, the first smile either had seen since she woke up. It felt like tons and tons of weight that had been pressed down on their shoulders and chests had been lifted away with just the simple action of her smile. 

“You’re both alive, I was so worried you wouldn’t come back.” 

“We always said we’d come back, peanut. Come hell or high water.”

Her small hands reached out to grab a hold of each of Steve and Bucky’s free hands. She needed to touch them, to reassure herself it was real, that they weren’t leaving. Her brain was in overdrive, trying to piece together where she was, how she had gotten here. There was so much to take in, she needed the simple touch to ground her again. 

Bucky hesitated, trying to pull his right hand out from behind her back. He didn’t know what her reaction to his metal arm would be, and it terrified him to think that she may know him from his time with Hydra. However hard he tried, she wasn’t having it, she needed the touch. Her hand grabbed onto his metal hand and gripped it tightly. 

A question played in her features at the feel of his metal hand. It wasn’t one of fear or hate, but of honest intrigue. Bucky wanted to tell her, but knew that this just wasn’t the time. They had nothing but time to catch up with what had happened over the last 70 years. Right now, it wasn’t about that. It was about reuniting over the years lost. Remembering old memories, and knowing they could now make new ones. 

It was an endearing thought to Steve. It wasn’t over. His baby sister was alive and well, he didn’t lose everyone because he still had her. And he knew he couldn’t waste this time, he was the world’s leading authority on wasting time he didn’t know he would end up losing one day. 

 

He tightened his grip on her, pulling her closer to him. A gentle reminder to himself, one he really needed constantly, that she was real, that she was alive. 

“What was that for?”

She asked, a signature Rogers’ family smile on her face. Steve could only look back at her with a smile and kiss her forehead. It was more than words could say, what he was feeling. He couldn’t place all the emotions he was feeling, but they were all happy. It was the happiest he’d ever been since he woke up from the ice. 

“I just missed you peanut.”

“I missed you too, Stevie.”


End file.
